News

Repeat DUI driver pleads not guilty in Menlo case

Atherton woman out on bail

An Atherton woman charged with six counts of felony drunken driving posted higher bail on Tuesday, and is once again out of custody.

A San Mateo County Superior Court judge had raised Margaret Brill's bail by $100,000 at the prosecution's request, according to the district attorney's office.

The 62-year-old woman allegedly careened down Santa Cruz Avenue in Menlo Park on Dec. 7, her car striking at least four vehicles and injuring two people, according to police. Three bystanders helped the injured and took Ms. Brill's keys away, keeping her on the scene.

She has two previous DUI convictions, and was arrested again two days after the Dec. 7 incident for allegedly being drunk in public at an Atherton train station, police said.

Posted by 3 strikes and you're out
a resident of another community
on Apr 13, 2011 at 2:42 pm

We need a 3 strikes and you're out law for drunk drivers. Life in jail after 3 convictions. Drunk drivers kill way more innocent Americans than any other class of criminal. Why is this woman still out on the street?

Posted by sick and tired
a resident of Menlo Park: Linfield Oaks
on Apr 14, 2011 at 9:50 am

The sad thing is Margaret Brill does not care about who she hurt, or hurts or eventually kills. All she cares about is getting that next drink. She clearly has no regard for the law, innocent bystanders or even herself. She should be in custody as she is a threat to the safety of the community. How many DUI's will it take? How many people does she have to hurt? She will not be stopped until she kills someone. Unfortunately, it won't be her that dies driving drunk. It never is. It will be the family driving home sober that she plows into and kills.

You can see her booking photo just by Googling her name. The woman needs to be stopped. She is a menace to society with lots of money to buy her way out. According to court records I researched, she met all the required multiple offender counseling she was mandated to attend by the court from on of her last arrests. We can all see how well that worked. She may be a 62 year old woman but she deserves to go to prison. Felony drunk driving with so many prior arrests is totally unacceptable.

Posted by Shawn
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Apr 14, 2011 at 12:51 pm

I was across the street when this happened and saw part of it. Margaret Brill did not care about what she did, all she wanted to do was get away. She will kill someone eventually. We can't let that happen. Take her driving privilege away, Please!
Shawn

No tolerance for DUIs! I realize alcoholics are sick unreasonable people, but they are incredibly dangerous behind the wheel of a car. Taking away a license won't stop them from driving, so how do we stop them--mandatory jail time until they've gone through rehab?

Margaret Brill are you listening? If you continue in your reckless, selfish and dangerous ways, you will pay the ultimate price. Will you kill yourself from over dosing on alcohol? Will you wrap your car around a tree and kill yourself? Or will you just rot in prison and never come out....your choice Ms. Brill. This is your choice to not hurt anyone else and to certainly not kill some innocent bystander to your train wreck of a life.

If there is someone out there who lives with Ms. Brill, make sure she has no access to a motor vehicle. I could care less if she is wandering around drunk in public. She cannot walk into anyone and do much damage!!!

Posted by Athertonian Mother
a resident of Atherton: West Atherton
on Apr 15, 2011 at 4:29 pm

What happened to those cars that won't turn on unless you pass the alcohol test? Why is this woman allowed to drive at all honestly? Or hire a driver, call a cab or walk to El Camino and hop on the bus?

Or another thought, isn't the definition of insanity doing the same wrong thing twice? Let's send her to the loony bin! She clearly is self-obsessed and narcissistic.

Does someone know what type of car she drives and her license plate so I know to just pull over and let her pass whenever she is on our roads?